Some scientists question if the guiding lights of theoretical physics have gone out, and all wonder where the field will go next

Flying is a miracle. The vibrating floor tickles the soles of my feet, perhaps from the jet engines hurling us forward, or maybe from the flexing of the wings as wind currents buffet them. Air hisses as it circulates, maintaining just the right pressure to keep my ears (relatively) comfortable. Despite the smooth ride, the orange glow of the seatbelt sign tells me that things are about to get bumpy, meteorological information that entered the plane via radio waves, before the flow of electricity relayed it to us passengers.

And yet this engineering marvel rests on humdrum physics. Nothing here would surprise a 19th century scientist, except perhaps that traveling from New York to Tokyo takes just twelve hours. It wasn’t until the 20th century that physicists drilled down into more fundamental levels beyond the familiar world of winds, metals, currents and waves.